posted on February 8, 2008 09:13:29 PM
This post isn't meant to infer that we should vote for Hillary, or to create a Democrat-Republican shouting/name-calling match, or that sex should be a determining factor when voting for a candidate. I am curious, however. Why is the US so far behind other countries in electing women to office? Why are there so few women in the US qualified to run for President? Why did it take until 2007 to get the highest female office-holder yet, Pelosi as Speaker of the House? It doesn't make sense, it doesn't follow world trends, it doesn't follow US corporate trends. It affects both parties.
[ edited by pixiamom on Feb 8, 2008 09:21 PM ]
posted on February 9, 2008 07:44:48 AM
Sexism is alive and well in "the world's greatest country".
Look at the nasty comments about Hillary that have nothing to do with her candidacy or platform....and despite the negativity the fact that there ARE women in politics speaks for their courage.
I recently heard a comment that women shouldn't work outside the home!!!
That said in the 21st century!!!
People who make ignorant comments like this should not be allowed to vote but , sadly, they can.
posted on February 9, 2008 09:05:50 AM
Get real everyone has their own opinion about working or not working.
Your statement is a joke. "Sexism is alive and well in "the world's greatest country"."
It's statements like that what makes the women look silly.
Well my nasty comments HAVE something to do with her candidacy or platform....
If there was a decent women running for office then maybe they would vote for her.
There were/are strong women like Albright, Rice, Pelosi, that were and are now in government but to take on the world and be strong is not Hillarys strong suit.
Our city council and have about 1/3 women on it out of 12. Our school board is 1/2 women. There are women running for office. You just don't hear about them because they don't create waves or their husbands don't.
Now here is the most ignorant comment I have heard. People who make ignorant comments like this should not be allowed to vote but , sadly, they can.
Women who stand by their man after they have had many affairs is a weak women...
posted on February 9, 2008 09:09:15 AM
I'd like to say a few words about this topic. But I'm not sure why there aren't more women running in this country; I can just speak to how it is for women as they do run.
A few years ago I was interviewed extensively for a book a woman professor was writing about the experience of women in politics in the U.S.
I'd been a very successful local politician, praised even by the people who didn't like my voting on certain issues.
We women grow up surrounded by people who love us; if they don't love us, they aren't our friends any longer. Most of us in my generation didn't play team sports; we weren't accustomed to losing, as men are. When you run for office, you are essentially asking people to love you, in some way.
One of the hardest lessons we women have to learn is that "some you win, some you lose." If we've excelled in school and life up to the time we run for office, that's a hard lesson to learn.
In my first campaign, I learned that we grow courage muscles with each negative experience, each unfair criticism, each lie told by the opponent.
I've said that deciding to run even at the local level is like getting on a merry-go-round you can't get off, for several months. Like beginning to perform brain surgery and not being able to stop in the middle. My supporters were wonderful, and were willing to work hard for me.
There were mornings when my feet hit the floor, I groaned, and sometimes got tears in my eyes, saying to my husband that I just couldn't do this another day. Everything else has to take a back seat for months. You can't go out of town on a vacation, you can't really take a few days off, you just have to keep going.
There are anonymous calls on the voice messaging telling me I'm ugly and hateful and "gentile" in a Mormon city. There are a thousand details to take care of weekly. There's fundraising to do.
And I'm talking about the local level! I cannot imagine what it's like for any candidate at the national level.
We women in office were told to look nice all the time, to have a neat head of hair but NO elaborate hairdos and NOT long hair, which says you've come to play, not to work, to wear makeup but not too much, to have neat nails but not long or too red, not to wear open-toed shoes, to wear the right clothes - AND CONTRARY TO HOW THE MEN DRESS, not the same suit every day, but varying our clothing because we're judged by that, too. Not to carry a purse because men don't.
All this, with in most cases a family to take care of and feed and clothe, household chores to see to. Men candidates have wives; women candidates could use a wife!
And as we developed those courage muscles, the lies and unfair criticism could more or less roll off our backs. We got tough (but God forbid we were too tough 'cause that's butchy).
I know that at Hillary's political level, there are people to handle details and perhaps even family--but it's still difficult.
Roadsmith said,"All this, with in most cases a family to take care of and feed and clothe, household chores to see to. Men candidates have wives; women candidates could use a wife!
Women need financial resources necessary to hire a staff to perform those wifely chores, even if they aren't running for office.
Personally, I don't buy the idea that women are accustomed to so much love and affection that they can't deal with criticism, failure or loss of affection.
I believe that in this country women are more economically disadvantaged as a group than in countries where more women seek political office. And since conservative religion is so prevalent here there is an unstated but prevailing expectation that women should be relegated to traditional roles as wives and mothers. I realize that there is an increasing number of exceptions to this lack of social justice but not enough.
posted on February 9, 2008 03:48:23 PM
I've told you before, Libra, the word
"womAn" is singular meaning one woman. The word "womEn" means more than one woman.
I think the inability to spell is a weakness...crying, unless it's excessive, isn't.
Unless you live in a cocoon you would see that sexism is quite alive in the U.S.
No matter how many womEn you finally have on your school board it's been a long struggle and womEn have not acheived equality in all areas.
Yes, everyone has their own opinion on womEn working but to say their "place" is in the home is sexist.
And it does affect their view of candidates.
""Women who stand by their man after they have had many affairs is a weak women..."
A womAn who has political aspirations will, or may, overlook these affairs , looking at the bigger picture...just like a male politician would do.
If Senator Clinton had gotten a divorce people would've been screaming about her not being strong , not fighting to keep her marriage together, not taking marriage seriously, not respecting the "sanctity" of marriage.
So she did what SHE wanted to do. It was a smart political move.
posted on February 9, 2008 07:05:12 PM
You just watch,America would rather have a black male president than a white woman president.
People just like to be told what to do by a traditional authority figure who is often a male!
And they would rather have a down to earth father figure male like Hucklebee or McCain than a wall street type trim and fit Romney.
But then Golda Meir who was a school teacher in Wisconsin ended up as a top politician in male dominated Israel,same can be said of Indira Gandhi.
These women are like men,they think like men,they act like men and they dont whimp like women PLUS they arent much to look at,which may as well be a good thing as it does not disctract the male voters.
*
Lets all stop whining !
posted on February 9, 2008 08:57:08 PM
Crowfarm quote---If Senator Clinton had gotten a divorce people would've been screaming about her not being strong , not fighting to keep her marriage together, not taking marriage seriously, not respecting the "sanctity" of marriage.
So she did what SHE wanted to do. It was a smart political move.
In YOUR mind is was a smart political move, in mine it was stupid of her to stay with him. Do you get it crowfarm - STRONG women stand up for themselves not lean on husbands that CHEAT and not once, not twice but many times.
posted on February 9, 2008 09:26:49 PM
Libra, even though you may not approve of Hillary staying married, she has made the decision that she feels works best for her. It's silly of you to judge someone else's relationship when you most likely have little understanding or true knowledge of it.
posted on February 9, 2008 09:29:40 PM
Call me a cynic, but personally, I feel Hillary's "standing by her man" during his presidency was a calculated and politically-motivated decision. I believe she had her own political agenda and negotiated for "her time in the sun". That doesn't make her evil or her proposals wrong. As I said before, I think her baggage and lack of charisma are her flaws and damaging to the democratic party - the primary reasons I'm supporting Obama. I think the women who head/headed the government in other countries had plenty of charisma. Again, I wonder why charismatic US women aren't in politics. Surely, Meg doesn't fit the bill.
posted on February 9, 2008 09:39:21 PM
Yes, as I stated before , """A woman who has political aspirations will, or may, overlook these affairs , looking at the bigger picture...just like a male politician would do."""
Women can be just as ambitious as men....it's legal.
Also, no two marriages are the same...people don't all divorce for the same reasons nor do they stay together for all the same reasons.
posted on February 9, 2008 09:56:40 PM
Hilary has an affair too with that lawyer co worker who later killed himself,thats what the rumor mill said.
Well,it is a start,we shall see more women running for president in the future.
*
Lets all stop whining !
posted on February 9, 2008 09:58:03 PM
charisma is not enough,these women like Indira and Meir are tough as nails,they eat nails for breakfast,lunch and dinner!
yeah,coated with charisma syrup!
*
Lets all stop whining !
posted on February 9, 2008 10:51:15 PM
Somehow, I suspect the huge amount of money required to run in US political elections and the reluctance of those investors to support female candidates. results: local school boards, fine - national elections, nix.
posted on February 9, 2008 11:09:12 PM
crowfarm aka mingotree states: I also note your use of my seller name...proving that you encourage and enjoy auction interference....but I knew that quite awhile ago
There you go crowfarm. That is what I know you from before you were mingotree, but saying that what did you call me previously.
End of LalaLandlibra quote. You stop with your crap and I will stop with mine. Until then you are fair game.
I have no idea you use crowfarm for your auctions and I could care less. I have no idea what you sell and I wouldn't be interested in it anyway since in my 8 years on eBay I have purchased only 84 items I honestly don't care what others sell. My time is more valuable than that.
I know there are sellers here that use their ebay user ID and that is their business but I want to say I do not go in to check their auctions as it is none of my business what they sell unless I find I have bid on one of their items. Which I haven't.
posted on February 9, 2008 11:37:01 PM
Libra is stuck in the past. She hasn't moved on and is determined to pick up with Mingo where she left off years ago - back when Bush's ratings were 52%. Maybe she'll have her say here and then run to the outhouse to let them know she's kicking ass at the RT.
posted on February 10, 2008 01:01:30 AM
Kiara. Yes it was years ago. Do you have blinders on? Look and see who started calling names and then tell me I am wrong. I am not going through this again with that person. She is the one that is baiting, I am not. I have never on this board called her mingotree I have always used the name crowfarm. In fact I don't really know if her name was that when I left.
Why do you always defend her even when she is wrong. How long ago did she use that name that she called me. Talk about the past. She lives in the past. It was about 2 years ago if my memory serves me right as I have not been on this board for that long.
I don't see her correcting anyone elses posts and yes there are mistakes in many of them which I would never point out. She is a meaningless person until she attacks me. This is a discussion board not a board where names are called. Get over your fashionation of crowfarm and maybe you will see that she is wrong this time.
You and the rest have been critical of me since the beginning and you know what I belong here just as much as you do. In fact I was here first. You want this place all to yourself and your followers so you can pat each other on the back. It's called the good ol boy society. You can make fun of me all you want if that is what floats your boat but if you don't like my discussions, there is an ignore button under your name in the information box. Check it.
posted on February 10, 2008 01:17:15 AM
I came across this thread. Quite interesting. At this time the RT had only 1 Republican posting, so who was she talking about.....Be careful in what you say....
Good points
This board was most interesting when political and fun, informative topics were equally popular.
And it was especially enjoyable when the political topics were not dominated by ignorant and obnoxious posters whose only reason to be was mudslinging and personal attack.
The few who enjoy that kind of disruption drive away posters who might otherwise make a significant contribution to this board.
posted on February 10, 2008 09:07:01 AM
I am happy you remembered posting it. Now if we could just stop this nonsense and post it will only get better in here.
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posted on February 10, 2008 09:41:14 AM
Libra, the poster also accused me of checking on her eBay auctions even though I never knew her eBay name until now. Like I would even pretend to care or take the time to look!
posted on February 10, 2008 09:53:03 AM
I agree pixiamom. Time is to short to pay attention what others sell. What others sell is their business not mine. I would not do any auction interference as I know what I just went through. It wasn't fun.
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posted on February 10, 2008 09:58:00 AM
pixiamom, ""Libra, the poster also accused me of checking on her eBay auctions even though I never knew her eBay name until now. Like I would even pretend to care or take the time to look! """
Oh, you naughty girl! YOU mentioned in a post something about Mingotree not having ever sold anything...that means you checked "Mingotree". How else would you know if I sold anything or not ?
Who started with the insults in this thread?
"Libra, """Now here is the most ignorant comment I have heard."""
posted on February 10, 2008 10:07:55 AM
Libra, just because I disagree with you on Bush's ratings or on Hillary's decision to stay in her marriage it doesn't mean I'm being critical of you. It's only a difference of opinion and I'm certainly not telling you how to post here.
As far as the 'fashionation' you claim I have of Mingo, if you mean 'fascination', that exists only in your imagination. She's been posting under the Mingotree name since 2004 which is a long time on a chat board. I'm not defending her, it takes two to tangle and you seem quite willing to continue it.
I like the direction the board has taken since last fall and though it may be slow at times I don't find it boring - guess I missed out on all the back patting that you claim is here.
posted on February 10, 2008 12:12:08 PM
No Helen, I knew you would recognize it. I was posting it not to be nasty but just to show you WHO started with the nastyness. Not me.
And again this is a discussion board not a spelling lesson. I posted that early in the morning as I was doing my bay stuff. So I misspelled a word so what, the world is NOT going to come to an end. You are the rest are so pitiful and the only way you attack is by spelling. If you had known the education that I had you would understand. Now stop the pettiness and I will stop also. That goes for everyone including me.
